Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko and his revamped staff will hit the ground running as soon as the transfer portal opens on Friday. If you’ve been following our coverage, the Aggies have been heavily connected to several star players on both sides of the ball, including former Texas A&M commit and LSU guard Coen Echols.
Over the last week, based on the nine players who have declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, Texas A&M’s positional needs have become more evident, including kicker, knowing that Randy Bond and Jared Zirkel are out of eligibility, while incoming freshman kicker Ashton Murray could easily win the job, but is still a young player with zero college experience.
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However, the real focus starts in the trenches, needing to replace three starting offensive linemen, and several starting defensive linemen, including unanimous All-American edge Cashius Howell, and defensive linemen Albert Regis and Tyler Onyedim. After hiring new co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Elijah Robinson, landing veteran D-linemen should not be an issue.
Focusing on the positions of need before the portal officially opens, here are the position rankings for Texas A&M that Aggie fans should keep in mind heading into the weekend.
Offensive line
Entering the 2025 season, it was a guarantee that left tackle Trey Zuhn, right guard Ar’maj Reed-Adams, and right tackle Dametreous Crownover would all depart due to expired eligibility, while Reed declared for the 2025 NFL Draft on Wednesday afternoon. Right now, adding at least two versatile tackles is the focus, knowing that the Aggies’ guard depth, including Ashton Funk and Blake Ivy, is a lesser issue.
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Furthermore, Mike Elko believes that A&M’s average run game, which failed to find life in back-to-back losses to Texas and Miami in the CFP, needs to be the primary focus this offseason.
Defensive line
Sophomore edge Marco Jones will likely replace unanimous All-American senior edge Cashius Howell. Still, after Rylan Kennedy and Solomon Williams entered the transfer portal this week, edge depth will be the focus. Still, Elko will also need to replace starting-level defensive linemen after witnessing Tyler Onyedim’s performance this season. At the same time, Albert Regis’s departure leaves a hole in the middle of the defense.
Junior defensive lineman DJ Hicks is on pace to return next season. Still, Texas A&M’s porous run defense, both a D-line and a linebacker issue, will only be fixed with better coaching and personnel.
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Tight end
Tight end is now a big focus after Theo Melin Öhrström surprisingly entered the transfer portal. With Nate Boerkircher and Amari Niblack off to the NFL, incoming sophomore Kiotti Armstrong looks like the next man up, and is certainly talented enough to earn the starting job.
Collin Klein leaving to become Kansas State’s head coach won’t drastically change Texas A&M’s offense, as new OC Holmon Wiggins served as the co-offensive coordinator over the last two seasons, and will likely use a 12-personnel (two tight ends) look, especially in the run game.
While Armstrong is more of a receiving tight end, adding one or two versatile veterans, who are both proficient run blockers and threats in the seam, is vital to avoiding a significant drop-off.
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Defensive back
Senior cornerback Will Lee III is headed to the NFL Draft, while senior safety Bryce Anderson, who missed most of the 2025 season due to a head injury, entered the transfer portal this week. Anderson’s choice to leave wasn’t shocking, but now safety is another position that requires an addition or two.
Cornerback is still the focus, as veteran nickel Tyreek Chappell will also leave after five seasons, and Washington transfer Jordan Shaw looks like the next in line to take over. Still, after it was revealed that Elko is pursuing Florida State transfer defensive back Edwin Joseph, it’s clear he’s targeting physical playmakers similar to Miami’s hard-hitting secondary.
On paper, Texas A&M will return Dezz Ricks and Julian Humphrey as the likely starting outside corners. Freshman cornerbacks Deyjhon Pettaway and Adonyss Currie are two names to watch as key depth pieces. Still, adding one or more cornerbacks from the portal will shore this group up.
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Wide receiver
Star wide receiver KC Concepcion is headed to the NFL Draft, which was always expected, leaving incoming junior Mario Craver as the leader of the 2026 WR room, while Ashton Bethel-Roman, who finished his first starting season with 503 yards and five touchdowns, looks like a star in the making.
Still, with the news that Auburn star wide receiver Cam Coleman, who was once a Texas A&M commit, will reportedly compete with the Texas Longhorns for his services, it will cost both programs a pretty penny. Elko and Holmon Wiggins will reportedly compete with the Texas Longhorns for his services as well.
Wanting to play with an established quarterback, Texas QB Arch Manning may have the upper hand, but outside of his late struggles, Marcel Reed threw for 3,169 yards and 25 touchdowns during his first starting season. Outside of Coleman, Texas A&M has been connected to Kansas State WR transfer Jayce Brown, who would also be a solid replacement due to his elite downfield speed.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Ranking Texas A&M football’s transfer portal needs by position group
